Blood in high demand

Quinte area residents are being urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood, especially O-negative blood.“While all blood types are needed, O-negative blood is in particular demand by hospitals because it is the only type compatible with all other blood types,” said Debbi Barfoot, territory manager for Kingston & Area of Canadian Blood Services.Only about seven per cent of the Canadian population has O-negative blood and the national inventory through Canadian Blood Services is critically low.“I just checked the national inventory this morning (Friday) and there are only two inventory days left for O-negative blood, so that’s concerning.“O-negative blood is used in the most critical situations. When seconds count and somebody’s life is on the line, there’s no time to check their blood type. If there is a 50 car pileup on the 401, all patients are going to receive O-negative blood because there is no time to test blood types. Due to higher than average demand and lower than expected collections, O Negative donors are needed immediately,” Barfoot said.On the Canadian Blood Services website is a section called Mystory where blood donors tell their stories. Only first names are used.Sharon from Belleville, wrote: “Thank you to so many wonderful donors, if it weren’t for them my mother wouldn’t have survived as long as she did. She had Acute Luekemia and sadly passed away Dec.17th/09.“In memory of my wonderful mother I have decided to give back and donate as often as I can, it’s a promise I made to her. She is very missed and forever in our hearts.”Stella, from Trenton, shared her own story, as well.“I’m now on my third blood donation. I used to be terrified of needles – I would cry at the doctor and the thought of getting a cavity filled was a nightmare,” she stated.After joining the Canadian Armed Forces she got over her fear of needles when she required four vaccinations in the same day to catch up because she had spent so long avoiding needles.“I barely even felt them. When I graduated and was given the honour of wearing the uniform, I knew I had to give back by donating blood for the first time in my life. I had so many years to make up for not donating. Since then I have made an appointment at every available opportunity.“My grandmother passed away when I was a teenager but her life was prolonged by blood transfusions. I give blood for me, as a way of giving back to Canada, but also hope that my donation will one day do for someone what those transfusions did for my grandmother and our time together. Thank you, Canadian Blood Services,” Stella wrote.There are several blood donor clinics in the region over the next month, starting Monday at Prince Edward Community Centre in Picton. Loyalist College hosts a clinic Feb. 16 while on Feb. 19 a clinic will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Trenton. On March 5 a clinic will be held at the Belleville Fish and Game Club while on March 13 Campbellford District High School will host a clinic, and on March 24 one will be held at the Calvary Community Church in Belleville.“What many people may not know is that every year, close to 40 per cent of all blood donors stop donating for 12 months or more for a number of reasons. Patients, however, continue to need blood for treatment of various medical conditions. With its limited shelf life, blood is in constant demand.“One in two Canadians is eligible to give blood; however, last year only one in 60 eligible people actually donated,” Barfoot said.The Family Day clinic in Trenton still had 77 open appointments as of this week, so Barfoot is “urging the good residents of Quinte West to come join us at the Knights of Columbus Hall Feb. 19. We want to thank the community for their continued and ongoing support. I hope that existing donors will carry on assisting their neighbours, and I encourage those in the area who have never donated to book their first appointment.”All clinics run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Canadian Blood Services’ clinics operate regular clinics in the Quinte region on a monthly basis and require the support of new donors in the community. Please make an appointment to give blood by downloading the GiveBlood app, calling 1-888 2DONATE (236-6283) or visiting blood.ca.Somewhere, a patient and their family will be thankful.